ETHIOPIA: 1 killed, scores wounded in grenade attack during rally for Prime Minister

There was pandemonium during a rally for reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa, when a grenade exploded killing one person and injuring several others.

Reports say Abiy had just wrapped up his speech at the capital’s Meskel Square before tens of thousands of people on Saturday when the grenade exploded.

The explosion which sent droves of supporters towards the stage as the prime minister left hurriedly saw the wounding of scores of people with 10 of them said to be in critical condition.

Reacting to the grenade attack, Abiy said the blast was orchestrated by groups who wanted to undermine the rally but did not name them.

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“The people who did this are anti-peace forces. You need to stop doing this. You weren’t successful in the past and you won’t be successful in the future.”

The incident is coming after a similar one in Zimbabwe when President Emmerson Mnangagwa narrowly escaped death when a bomb blast rocked a rally of the ruling ZANU-PF party election campaign in the city of Bulawayo.

Reports say the incident happened when the president accompanied by other politicians, was walking off the stage at the White City stadium moments after addressing thousands of supporters in advance of next month’s vote.

 

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